River Mease Walk, Staffordshire
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Published October 15th 2015
Take A Lovely Riverside Walk Through Flocks Of Sheep
The pretty River Mease offers a variety of delightful nature walks across three neighbouring countries within the Midlands.
The lowland river flows through Staffordshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire and is so highly prized that it has been designed as a Special Area of Conservation under European Union legislation, and a Site of Special Scientific Interest within the UK.
The UK designation is apparently due to the varieties of fish that the river is able to support, with the most numerous species said to be chub and roach.
The Mease owes its existence to a merging of smaller streams in North West Leicestershire, from where it flows westwards for about 16 miles across a largely rural and agricultural landscape. It then meets up with the River Trent at Croxall in Staffordshire, before its waters eventually reach the North Sea on Humberside.
The path of the river has changed little over time despite historical alterations caused by the addition of weirs to serve mills in Staffordshire, now either demolished or non-operational.
And it is in Staffordshire that I got up close to the Mease during a riverside walk measuring almost two miles along several footpaths, starting at the Black Horse pub in Edingale.
The walk takes you out of the pretty little village via a narrow country lane, emerging out into a field, which was occupied by a flock of contented looking sheep during my stroll.
From there, I crossed over the pasture and headed for a stile in the far hedgerow, close to where it meets the river. Then, on the other side, I followed the river round and crossed into another field where a fairly new looking footbridge enabled me to cross over the Mease.
To complete the figure of eight walk, I was able to follow the footpath until I reached Scotland Lane, before turning left towards the equally pleasant village of Harlaston.
Then, by following the lane until the next footpath, you are able to reach the footbridge and cross back over and retrace your steps to Edingale.
The lowland river flows through Staffordshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire and is so highly prized that it has been designed as a Special Area of Conservation under European Union legislation, and a Site of Special Scientific Interest within the UK.
The UK designation is apparently due to the varieties of fish that the river is able to support, with the most numerous species said to be chub and roach.
The path of the river has changed little over time despite historical alterations caused by the addition of weirs to serve mills in Staffordshire, now either demolished or non-operational.
And it is in Staffordshire that I got up close to the Mease during a riverside walk measuring almost two miles along several footpaths, starting at the Black Horse pub in Edingale.
The walk takes you out of the pretty little village via a narrow country lane, emerging out into a field, which was occupied by a flock of contented looking sheep during my stroll.
From there, I crossed over the pasture and headed for a stile in the far hedgerow, close to where it meets the river. Then, on the other side, I followed the river round and crossed into another field where a fairly new looking footbridge enabled me to cross over the Mease.
To complete the figure of eight walk, I was able to follow the footpath until I reached Scotland Lane, before turning left towards the equally pleasant village of Harlaston.
Then, by following the lane until the next footpath, you are able to reach the footbridge and cross back over and retrace your steps to Edingale.
Why? A Beautiful Riverside Walk
When: All year
Where: The Black Horse, Edingale, Staffordshire
Cost: Free
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